Policy Hub
On 2 December 2004, the Rethinking Crime and Punishment project published a
report (Rethinking crime and punishment) on their four-year
£3 million project - the largest ever investigation into crime
undertaken by a UK charity. The report finds that a comprehensive and constructive new approach to crime is
needed. A positive agenda, based on prevention
and treatment of causes, alongside much greater public involvement
in alternatives to prison, would enjoy widespread support.
The report draws on findings from more than 60 research studies,
campaigns, events and inquiries throughout the UK, aimed at raising
the level of debate about the use of prison and alternatives. The
initiative has funded work by criminal justice agencies, voluntary
organisations and universities, and included groundbreaking projects
on crime prevention, public attitudes to punishment, restorative
justice, and alternatives to prison.
Findings include:
Payback should be central to punishment. Alternatives to prison
should do more to benefit victims and communities, with restorative
justice schemes introduced in every magistrates' and crown court. An
element of community payback should normally form part of all
sentences in prison and the community. Panels of local people should
help decide what form unpaid community work by offenders should take
in their areas.
More visible and constructive alternatives to
prison are needed. A major public education campaign about
alternatives to prison is needed and sentencers should be more
involved in the implementation of community-based sentences.
Prison is not popular - five times more people favour better
parenting (57 per cent) than more offenders in prison (11 per cent) as
the best way to reduce crime.
Much more should be done to prevent at risk children from being drawn
into crime. Schools and health services should take more
responsibility for preventing offending by young people with much
greater support offered to the parents of teenagers.
More residential treatment is needed for offenders with drug and
mental health problems. There are just 1,700 places in residential
drug treatment centres, even though there are up to half a
million problem drug users in England and Wales. More than 5,000 adult
men, 600 women and girls and 1,000 young men in prison suffer the most
serious mental health illnesses, which require hospital treatment. A
majority of the rest of prisoners suffering a range of other mental
health problems. A review of arrangements for mental health problems
should be undertaken, with a view to accommodating many more seriously
mental ill prisoners in hospital settings. There should also be an
independent audit of the costs and benefits of decriminalising drugs.
The report can be viewed on the Rethinking Crime and Punishment website